John McClain, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, is in his 48th year of covering the NFL in Houston, including 45 seasons at the Houston Chronicle.
One game into the season, the Texans are in an unfamiliar position – ranked first in the NFL in rushing after their 213-yard performance in Sunday's 29-27 victory at Indianapolis.
Joe Mixon's 30-carry, 159-yard Texans' debut received well-deserved national recognition for the running game, including special praise for the blocking by an offensive line that dominated the Colts and allowed them to control the ball for 40 minutes and an AFC Offensive Player of the Week award for Mixon himself.
Entering Sunday night's nationally televised game against the Bears at NRG Stadium, the Texans' running game has new-found respect around the league after finishing tied for 22nd last season with 96.9 yards a game, including 3.7 a carry.
When Head Coach DeMeco Ryans and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said after last season that it was imperative to improve the running game, they weren't kidding. Based on what fans saw against the Colts, they may have their sights set on finishing No. 1 for the first time.
Only two times in the Texans' 23-year history have they finished a season ranked among the top-five teams in rushing.
They were second under Gary Kubiak in 2011 when they finished 10-6, averaged 153 yards rushing and won their first AFC South title and playoff game. Arian Foster, the greatest running back in team history, was the leading rusher with 1,224 yards.
They were fifth under Bill O'Brien in 2014 when they finished 9-7 but failed to reach the playoffs, despite averaging 135.1 yards. Once again, Foster was their leading rusher with 1,246 yards.
Slowik devises game plans based on the opponent's strengths and weaknesses. Nobody predicted they would be so dominant in the running game against the Colts. Not only did they control the clock for 20 more minutes than Indianapolis, but the defense stayed fresh because it spent so much time resting on the sideline.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud threw two touchdown passes to new receiver Stefon Diggs, and the Texans generated 417 yards (second in the league) and 26 first downs (tied for first). Mixon, acquired from Cincinnati for a seventh-round draft choice in March, is the NFL's leading rusher going into the Chicago game.
In their 24-17 victory over the Titans in which they overcame a 17-0 deficit, the Bears allowed 140 yards rushing, including 5.4 a carry.
Mixon received outstanding blocking from his linemen, tight ends and wide receivers. What made his performance even more impressive? His longest run was 13 yards. Check this out: Of the top-16 rushers on opening weekend, his long run of 13 yards was the shortest. He didn't have a long run to pad his stats.
"I'm happy he's here," Ryans said this week with a big smile.
When he was asked about the genesis of the Mixon trade, Ryans didn't want to disclose specific details. But it's obvious Ryans, Slowik and assistant head coach/running backs coach Danny Barrett wanted Mixon because they believed he would be an ideal fit in the system.
Then it was up to Executive Vice President/General Manager Nick Caserio to pull off the trade. After he acquired Mixon, Caserio signed him to a three-year extension.
"It was a complicated process of getting Joe here, not knowing he'd be available until the 11th hour," Ryans said. "I think credit goes to Nick, knowing it's so late in the game, him being on it and ready to get Joe here. We knew we wanted to add to our running game, and Joe was the perfect fit."
Obviously, Mixon can't carry the ball 30 times a game, and he's not going to rush for at least 159 yards every week. Matt Eberflus, the Bears' head coach, is a terrific defensive coach. He'll have a plan that tries to contain Mixon and the running game. If they can accomplish that goal of keeping the running game bottled up, the Bears will get an overdose of Stroud and his talented receivers.
The mission behind building their running game is to give the offense more balance, take some pressure off Stroud and allow the defensive players to get a lot of hard-earned breathers.
The Texans know they wouldn't be 1-0 without Mixon's outstanding performance running behind tackles Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard, guards Kenyon Green and Shaq Mason and center Juice Scruggs. The way they cleared space for Mixon in the fourth quarter, especially on the last drive when the Colts knew they were going to run, was particularly impressive.
"It was huge," Stroud said. "I think you can definitely impose your will running the ball. You open up a whole multitude of plays for Bobby to call, and we just kept going to it. I think this is a testament that you can see everybody had numbers. Everybody touched the ball.
"Whenever you get those guys the ball, they make plays. I've just got to get them the ball as best as I can and not force anything, really understanding that those guys are going to make me look good."
The Bears are preparing for the nationally televised game, and they're seeing an offense that's multifaceted. Diggs caught two touchdown passes in his Texans' debut. Tank Dell contributed as a receiver and runner – he's 17-yard run was the team's longest – and Nico Collins had another spectacular performance.
Collins had six catches for 117 yards, a 19.5-yard average. His leaping, 55-yard catch with two Colts all over him was exceptional, but his 12-yard catch on third-and-11 when the Texans were running out the clock was even more impressive.
Collins knows the passing game will benefit from defenses having to worry about Mixon, and if they devote too many to stopping the run, Stroud will torch them down the field.
"Every time he touches the ball, he's making plays," Collins said about Mixon. "You know what type of athlete he is when he gets the ball in his hands. We have to keep pounding (and) keep blocking for him so he can shine."
After Sunday's game, Mixon gave a special shoutout to rookie tight end Cade Stover, the fourth-round pick from Ohio State. Stover played fullback, and he was the lead blocker on 15 plays. Stover was physical and effective. The Bears can expect to see more of Stover.
"One thing about Cade is from the moment he stepped in our facility, he's been very smart and on it," Ryans said. "Anything we've asked him to do, he's ready to go. He doesn't make mistakes, and that's a lot said for a rookie. He's where he's supposed to be, and he enjoys playing the game. He was ready for it (playing fullback), and he did a really good job."
Expect Slowik to continue emphasizing the running game because he knows what it can do to a defense. The Texans were 6-1 last season when they rushed for at least 100 yards. The last time they had a 1,000-yard rusher was 2019 with Carlos Hyde (1,070). The last time they had a player accumulate at least 1,100 was Foster in 2014. If Mixon can stay healthy – and he was durable in recent seasons with the Bengals -- he could put up Foster-type numbers.
"It's a game-changer," Diggs said about Mixon and being able to run the ball effectively. "That wide receiver game we've got is special. With that guy in the backfield, it's special, as well. He breaks tackles, and he can crease at any time.
"In my opinion, he's got a lot more in the tank. He missed a little bit of camp, so I think he's getting his legs back. He's on board, and I think we're going to see a heavy dose of Joe Mixon."
